Sisters Once More
by Sands Buisle
Summary: Inspired by Ryuugi's "Holding Back the Sea", this one-shot looks at what happens after Berserker inevitably drains Kariya to death, as well as the rescue from Sakura's POV. Will occasionally be updated, but there are currently no plans to make this a full-fledged fanfic.
1. Prologue

Sakura ignored the world around her. She ignored the worms wriggling beneath her. She ignored the worms writhing above her. She ignored the worms thrashing within her. She ignored the water flowing around her, washing them all away…

She blinked. _"Water?"_

Indeed, water had flooded the basement where her usual torture was taking place. It flowed with great force, but didn't harm her- merely washing and drowning the worms in its powerful torrent, herself shielded from harm in a cocoon of calm water. Her protective shell was even rising above the worm-wretched waters, which continued to thrash and annihilate her tormentors, and was carrying her towards an unfamiliar figure, standing next to a crumpled shape.

It took her but a moment to recognize it as her grandfather's corpse.

The figure was hard to see in the dim light of the catacombs, but she could see it was a man in armour, armour which almost glowed in the darkness. His face was cast in shadow, but Sakura could still see his eyes- they were green, and seemed to shine with power and conviction. "Don't worry." Said the figure, his voice crashing through the haze she built to protect her like a wave, his tone washing away her anxiety and fears like the gentle tide. "I've come to save you."

At that point, Sakura decided it was just a dream. A very nice, pleasant dream she wished would never end, but a dream nonetheless. Still, it would be nice to enjoy it while it lasted.

After a few moments of staring at the waters –was he making sure all of the worms were dead? Sakura would have thought her dreamy knight in shining armour would have just walked her out of there- he turned and left the room, the naked –and dry, a fact which encouraged the view it was just a dream- Sakura nestled comfortably in his arms. As he reached the doorway, her new uncle (or was he her father? She honestly didn't care) came running down the hall. She wasn't sure why he had been running, but his panicked expression morphed into fear when he gazed at the man carrying her.

"Everything that was in that basement except this girl is dead." The knight informed the Matou, his voice like the calm before the storm. "Stay out of my way as I get her some clothes and leave." He walked forward, past the man who was frozen in fear. "Oh, and by the way," He said, seemingly as an afterthought, "There is a lot of damage to the piping, and your basement is flooded. You should probably leave before this place collapses."

Sakura's saviour put her down in the room she had been given and ordered her to gather all of her things. She did so, putting her meagre possessions in a small bag and walking back to him. It was while she was packing that Sakura came to a wonderful conclusion.

This wasn't a dream.

She really was being saved. She really was being rescued by a complete stranger, a knight in shining armour, just like in a fairy tale. So, she did the next logical thing.

"Who… Are you?"

Her saviour –who had been standing at the doorway like a guard- paused for a moment before answering.

The name he gave was quite clearly foreign. As was his way of referring to himself. Despite his proficiency with Japanese, he must not have a very good grasp on the proper use of honorifics yet.

"Jack-san?" She asked, just to confirm she heard right. His answer had, frustratingly, been "close enough".

He then picked her in his arms and left the house. She did not know where they were headed, but it couldn't possibly be worse than what she was leaving behind. While traveling, she observed the face of her saviour.

In the light, she could see Jack-san looked like everything she'd imagine a hero to be; His strong, handsome features, his messy black hair, his kind green eyes. He was strong yet gentle, he moved with unbelievable grace, despite carrying her in his arms.

Eventually, they reached a house, and he settled her down in front of it before disappearing. Sakura had but a moment to panic at the loss of her guardian knight before the door opened, revealing he had somehow reappeared inside.

"Are you hungry? I guess I could cook something." He suggested. It was at that moment Sakura realised that indeed, she was hungry. But that hunger was muted, buried beneath a mountain of emotions. She felt giddy with elation at being free from Zouken and his worms. She felt trepidation at what would become of her next. She felt irrationally angry at Kariya, Rin and Aoi that it was Jack-san, a complete stranger, and not them that saved her. She felt the remains of the hazy, empty feeling she retreated into every night at the pit. And she felt a tangle of other emotions she couldn't yet decipher.

"…Thank you." She managed to say. Thank you for saving me. Thank you for caring. Thank you for killing grandfather. Thank you for being the only one to have the courage to stand up for my sake.

"Don't worry about it." He replied with a smile- a smile brighter than the sun and more beautiful than the ocean, as far as she was concerned. "If I didn't save every damsel in distress I came across, I'd have to turn in my Hero Licence."

She wasn't sure what to make of such a statement. Was there even such a thing as a 'Hero Licence'? "Are you a hero, Jack-san?"

"If I wasn't, I wouldn't be here." What a foolish question. Of course he was a hero-he'd saved her, hadn't he? Out of the goodness of his heart, most likely on a whim, he'd stormed the keep, slew the monster and saved the princess. Except replace 'princess' with her. She was no princess- too tainted.

"But enough of that." Said the hero, adopting a serious expression. Sakura felt a bit of trepidation- what issue was so serious that he dropped that wonderful smile? "Tell me, Sakura- Do you like the colour blue?"

"_What?"_

**Sisters Once More**

The cold made her body as numb as her heart.

She stood before a grave. A simple marker to symbolise a man no longer there. A man who failed to deliver his promises in the process of trying to fulfil them. A small reminder of the man who was once Matou Kariya.

Jack-san had disappeared. She hasn't seen him since Kariya's painful demise to the worms within him. It was a reminder of the fate he and Jack-san had saved her from. But now, with both of them gone, she didn't know what would happen to her- would she go to the orphanage? To stay with Kariya's spineless brother? Where?

She vaguely registered the funeral going on a short ways away coming to an end. She didn't really care. She just stood there, in the rain, staring at her uncle's grave with an umbrella in hand.

She wasn't sure how long she had been standing there before someone approached. She didn't lift her head, didn't turn to look at those coming towards her. She didn't care. She was numb to the world- who thought the skills developed in that hell would come in handy once again?

"You'll catch a cold if you stay out here, Sakura-chan." That voice. Impossible. She hadn't heard that voice in so long. It couldn't be _her_…

But it was. For when she turned, Sakura was greeted by the sight of Tohsaka Aoi and her daughter Rin, standing under a shared umbrella with the lawyer who had been in charge of her since Kariya's death.

Aoi smiled at the grave. It was a sad smile. "I've heard what happened. Poor Kariya…" She shook her head. "But we've finished mourning him, haven't we, Sakura? We should move on with our life, head held high, and give him something to look fondly at from the afterlife." She fixed her gaze back to Sakura during her words, addressing her with the full implication of her statement. "I've been informed of your situation. Because Zouken never left a will, all of his properties have been split equally between you, Kariya, Byakuya and Shinji." Sakura didn't know why Aoi was telling her this. She cared little for those material possessions. "Kariya, however, left everything he owns to you- including the house- which you will get along with your quarter of Zouken's inheritance once you come of age. In the meantime, Kariya has named me as your legal guardian." Sakura was surprised at that- Aoi was her legal guardian? Did that mean that they were going to be like a family again? She was still technically the Matou heir, so Tokiomi shouldn't have any objections… "And due to the unfortunate passing of my husband, I find the household a bit quiet with just the two of us." She smiled brightly at Sakura- a genuine, happy smile. "Are you content with being left in my care, Matou Sakura-chan? I promise to treat you as though you were Rin's sister." Sakura was elated. Maybe, just maybe, her future wasn't so bleak.

**Stats**

Servant: Rider

Master: Sakura Matou (catalyst-piece of the Argo II which Kariya used to summon his Berserker)

Identity: Jason Grace

Title(s): Pontifex Maximus, the Greek Praetor

Stats:

**Strength:** B

A powerful warrior, capable with both spear and sword, who has wrestled with various Phantasmal Beasts and Divine Spirits, Jason possesses fearsome physical strength.

**Endurance:** C

A warrior who favours close combat, yet favours agility over brute strength, Jason is decently durable, but not an unstoppable juggernaut.

**Agility:** A+

As swift as his father's lightning, Jason possesses extremely fast speed, reflexes and godlike agility.

**Mana:** B

As a demigod well versed in the usage of his powers, Jason possesses a good pool of mana.

**Luck:** D

The guy was given as tribute to _Hera_ as a baby. That's some major bad luck, straight out of the crib.

**Class Skills:**

**Magic Resistance:** C

He's half god. Of course he possesses a decent level of Magic Resistance.

**Riding:** A

As a warrior who's tamed a storm spirit, Jason boasts the ability to ride any being short of Divine Beast.

**Personal Skills:**

**Divinity:** B

The son of Zeus and champion of Hera, Jason boasts a high Divinity that grants him unconditional protection against wind and lightning based attacks.

**Charisma:** C-

A natural leader, Praetor and just generally a likeable guy, Jason is very convincing and good at leading people in the charge to battle. Not quite king material, though.

**Divine Favour:** B

As Pontifex Maximus and a generally likeable guy who spent a great deal of time building temples to minor gods, Jason is very popular among the gods of Greece and Rome, allowing him to call in a few favours here and there.

**Eye of the Mind (False):** C

**Affront to Nature:** A

As one of the demigods to combat Gaia, and as the one to remove her from her physical manifestation and permanently end her consciousness, Jason has a greater upkeep than most servants. This upkeep is reduced to normal in the territory of another Servant, and he gains a rank-up to all parameters in an enemy's Workshop/Temple/NP or reality marble.

**Noble Phantasms:**

**Julius- Golden Flip Coin **C

His Imperial Gold spear/sword, Julius can take either form, depending on preference. Charged with Jason's divine wind and lightning, it is the embodiment of his demigod powers. If it were to break, it will release a giant explosion.

**Tempest-Storm's Stead **A

Jason's Ventus mount, a powerful Nature Spirit/Phantasmal Beast, Tempest is a horse composed of the storm itself.

**Optional Extra**

Servant: Archer

Master: Rin Tohsaka (catalyst-Rider. Seriously, Rider as a servant of Rin's younger sibling, was the catalyst to summon his elder sister)

Identity: Thalia Grace

Title(s): Pinecone Face (got any better ones?)

Stats:

**Strength:** C

**Endurance:** C

**Agility:** B

**Mana:** C

**Luck:** E

**Class Skills:**

**Magic Resistance:** B

**Independent Action: B**

**Personal Skills:**

**Divinity:** B+

**Charisma:** D

**Eye of the Mind (False):** B

**Noble Phantasms:**

**Artemis- Maiden of the Hunt **B

Passively grants a rank up to Agility in forest, and a rank up to Strength at night. Can be activated to call upon hunting wolves and hawks. Most powerful during full moon.

**Aegis-Shield of Fear and Fame:** D

Her shield instils fear in foes, acting as a mental interference and reducing the effectiveness of opposing Charisma skills.

**Half-Blood Hill- Pine Tree of Asylum:** A

Claims a land as a safe zone, which none can pass without sufficient Divinity or permission. However, while the field is active, the servant remains as a tree.

She also has her spear, but it's no Noble Phantasm.

**Author's Notes**

The first bit (Sakura's rescue) is heavily based on Ryuugi's Holding Back the Sea, and some of the text is taken almost word for word. The second part of the story is mine, though. As are the servant sheets. Still recommend Holding Back the Sea though.


	2. Summoning a change of plans

"_We hereby propose"_

Two teenage girls were sitting cross legged on the floor, their right palms resting on the other's left.

"_Place your will in our hands,"_

Around them was a large, intricate circle filled with strange symbols.

"_And our fate shall rest in your blade."_

Ten years had passed since this ritual was last performed, although neither of them was a part of it.

"_Abiding by the summons of the Holy Grail,"_

They were performing a shared summoning. Both will provide the being summoned with the Prana required for materialisation, but only the elder will be the true 'Master'.

"_If you accept and acknowledge this will and reason, answer us."_

That was fine. The younger was content with merely seeing him again.

"_We hereby swear."_

The Hero who saved her all those years ago. She just hoped her memories of him, untarnished by the passage of time, would be enough to call him forth.

"_We are all the good in the eternal world."_

Because she was certain the corroded piece of metal in front of her would work for multiple legends.

"_We are the disposers of evil in the eternal world."_

It was supposed to be part of the ship he and his allies sailed on during their adventures.

"_You, clad in a Great Trinity of words,_

_Come forth from the circle of constraint._

_Guardian of the Heaven's Feel!"_

**Sisters Once More**

He looked exactly as she had remembered him. Bronze armour over tanned skin; muscular, but not grotesquely so; messy pepper black hair; strong, handsome features; eyes green like the ocean on a calm summer's day.

He looked shorter than in her memories, but that was to be expected- she had been a small child then, and ten years have passed.

"Which one of you is my Master?" He asked, looking between her and her sister, confusion written clearly on his face. She couldn't blame him- both she and her sister were meant to be Masters.

"That would be me." Rin smirked, tossing one dark brown twin tail over her shoulder, as she was prone to do whenever she was making a point about her 'awesome'. Her sister was vain that way. "However, Sakura will also be providing you with Prana." At this, the purple haired girl gave a short bow. "So you may as well treat her as your Master as well."

"I see." Said the Servant, seeming to accept the situation without issue. "Then allow me to introduce myself. I am Servant Rider, and I hope to work well with you in this war." He smiled at them. "I would like to get to know you two before we start fighting, especially why you decided to work together like this."

"We decided to both provide you with Prana because our uncle, who summoned you last war, died from exhausting his Prana reserves." Sakura answered his question, hoping to get the essential information out of the way so that they could get to the less stressful topics. "We figured that you're an incredibly powerful Servant with extremely high cost Noble Phantasms, so we decided it would be more beneficial to provide you with as much Prana as possible to ensure you can fight at full capacity, rather than summon another Servant and limit you both."

Rider seemed surprised to hear that- clearly what they heard about Servants being merely copies of their true selves and not remembering previous summons was true. It saddened Sakura somewhat that this was not the Jack-san who had saved her, but it was still him. "So you're sisters then? It certainly explains why you would be willing to work together in this war. Also, you are quite right about my Noble Phantasms requiring a lot of Prana to maintain, especially if I'm using several at once."

"Oh? You are not questioning our relation, even though we look so different?" Rin asked in what could only be described as a coy tone, forcing Sakura to mentally sigh. It may work wonders on their male classmates, but Rider was a Heroic Spirit, and an adult. He was not going to get so easily flustered by a teenage girl.  
He was probably married a couple of times in life anyway.

"I knew a pair of siblings who most would mistake for being of different ethnicities, and my own brothers include a cyclops and a merman with two fish tails. I'm not about to say something just because you have different hair colours, even if purple is very unusual."

**Sisters Once More**

Servant: Rider

Master: Rin Tohsaka (Sakura Matou is also providing Prana)

Identity: Percy Jackson

Title(s): Son of the Ocean, The Third Achilles, Chosen of the Gods, etc.

Stats:

**Strength:** B

A demigod of legend who slew the Minotaur bare handed before even learning of the Gods' existence, and having held up the sky at one point -amongst several other notable feats of strength- Percy naturally possesses a great deal of physical strength. Having two Masters supplying him with Prana certainly helps.

**Endurance:** B

Percy has always preferred close combat, and has received and continued fighting with fairly severe wounds. Baring the Curse of Achilles and after falling to Tartarus, Percy is not easy to fell.

**Agility: **C

Not the most agile of Servants, Percy is still no slouch, but not quite as agile as one would expect of a Rider.

**Mana:** B

As a demigod well versed in the usage of his powers, having summoned the ocean itself to Texas and cause a volcano to erupt, Percy has some magic up his sleeve.

**Luck:** D

Percy's not the luckiest guy out there. Also, he has Rin as his Master, which counts as a Rank down all on its own.

**Class Skills:**

**Magic Resistance: **C

He's half god. Of course he possesses a decent level of Magic Resistance.

**Riding:** A

When your legend involves riding Pegasi and a Hellhound, you get a high Riding skill.

**Personal Skills:**

**Divinity:** A+

The son of Poseidon, having been offered to become a god at one point and hosting an Egyptian god in another, Percy has some pretty high Divinity. Will increase further under the effects of Deception of Divinity.

**Dream Walker:** C

As a Demigod, Percy's sleeping mind tends to wander to relevant events in the past and present.

**Eye of the Mind (False):** C

Percy's Demigod instincts allow him to react quickly to his foe's movements while still analysing the situation.

**Affront to Nature:** B

As one of the demigods to combat Gaia, Percy has a greater upkeep than most servants. This upkeep is reduced to normal in the territory of another Servant such as in an enemy's Workshop/Temple/NP or reality marble. Due to his time in Tartarus, Percy is also used to fighting in the enemy's territory, reducing the effect of his opponent's home field advantage.

**Noble Phantasms:**

**Anaklusmos- Sword of Nature's Destruction **A

Percy's main weapon, his trusted sword, Riptide. Great for killing monsters and spiritual beings, Riptide can also channel Percy's divine power into the ground, unleashing one of the many natural disasters his father is so fond of.

**Perseus- Deception of Divinity** EX

When touching water, Prana is replenished and all stats get a rank up. Can control water and is immune to damage from it (heals him, actually). Enables him to converse with equines and aquatics.

**Achilles- Armour of Lost Dreams** A+

Passively makes him invulnerable to attacks from those with lower divinity, except in his weak spot. Can be activated to give a rank up in all parameters, but acts like a D-rank Mad Enhancement. Costs large amounts of Prana to maintain.

Percy is also capable of summoning his Pegasus Blackjack and his Hellhound Mrs O'Leary. He is clad in celestial bronze armour and has access to his shield.

**Sisters Once More**

I was honestly not expecting to revisit this story, but rereading Ryuugi's **Holding Back the Sea** (strongly suggest reading it, it was the inspiration for this whole story) made me wonder what would happen if his story's Perserker fought at full strength without Prana issues, before realising it is a distinct possibility in **Sisters Once More**, since Rin and Sakura could perform a joint summoning similar to what Kayneth did in the fourth war in order to have both of them provide him with Prana. What you're left with is a ridiculously overpowered Servant who could destroy all of Fuyuki with ease.

I do not plan on continuing this story. I may post the occasional excerpt, but I have no plot for how this turns out- you have no Zouken or CG EMIYA, just Kirei and Gilgamesh.

Gilgamesh is familiar with Percy and his abilities, having fought him in the previous war. Percy will likely have a bone to pick with Caster and Berserker, but I'm honestly not comfortable trying to turn this into a story. Again, you're welcome to pick this story up if you so wish; I even have a line you can use to introduce Archer and their Master into the war:

'Illya hoped they proved more interesting than Archer and his/her Master- Berserker had crashed the both with ease in mere seconds.'

Or you could actually come up with a Master and Archer. Whatever you feel like.

Now I need to get myself to get back to Chapter 1 of **Knights of Futures Past** and actually post the damn things... Bleh, what is it with me and feeling like I need to jump perspectives constantly? And I really need to get a better grasp of the characters personalities, especially Shirou's.


	3. Boyfriend Control

I found my situation rather amusing. While I was a bit confused about being summoned into the Holy Grail War (twice, if my Masters' uncle did indeed summon me) when I didn't really have a wish, I did enjoy the prospect of guiding and protecting these girls. It was good to be a hero again, putting my life on the line for the sake of others- parenting had its merits, but it couldn't beat the visceral satisfaction of violently protecting children.

Also, I would be lying if I said I wasn't itching for a good fight. It had been decades since I had fought at anywhere near full strength. Or just one, as good old Uncle Kariya apparently lasted a good couple of days into the last war.

I still haven't encountered any of the other Servants. I had been summoned only last night, and apparently Rin was the type of person to sleep in. Sakura, on the other hand, was an early riser, and had left the house to visit a friend. After learning she did this every school day (and some non-school days) I had decided to tag along.

So here I was, watching one of my Masters (what a strange yet brilliant idea. Sounded like something Leo would come up with- except less mechanical. Annabeth would have probably looked for a way to make prana transfers more efficient, or increasing her own capacity) sit at a table with an immature teacher (she reminded me of my teachers at Meriwether) and a young Magus Rin's age who she obviously had a crush on, yet was completely oblivious to it. It somewhat reminded me of when I was fourteen, with Rachel, Annabeth and Calypso.

But despite the amusing show playing before me (apparently the teacher had swapped the sauces), I was worried. One Servant had yet to be summoned, and Shirou was a Magus. If he became a Master, how would Sakura take it? Will she be willing to fight her crush, to face the possibility that one of them may die? It tied my heart in knots just thinking about it. I couldn't help but imagine Annabeth's face as she begged Luke to come back to camp, as she asked him why he betrayed her. I didn't want to see it again.

**Sisters Once More**

School. I had almost forgotten what the word truly meant. It had been many years since I had come to one of these nodes of hell, these cesspits of bullies and monsters (there _was_ a difference- you could kill monsters). It was clear my Masters didn't share my opinion of schools- Rin was apparently an exemplary student, and Sakura appeared to enjoy meeting friends. It filled me with happiness to know they found school far more agreeable than I.

I really get attached too easily, don't I? First Zoe and Bianca, then Rachel, then… I could probably go on forever. Point is, I'm a bleeding heart. These girls seem like the good sort, and I will protect them. Otherwise I'd have to turn in my Hero Licence.

One thing that Rin and Sakura didn't seem to take into account was how I was supposed to protect both of them during the day. While at night they would be either together or hidden behind their home's many bounded fields (it was really weird to have so much knowledge of magic, even though it was apparently just the "basics" required to follow a Master's directive), during the day they had different classes, clubs and Sakura's excursions to the Emiya household even meant they walk to school from different places. I'll have to take this up with Rin.

And apparently Shirou and I had more in common than I realised (despite the fact that he was apparently a prodigy at archery). After arriving at the school I learned that Sakura wasn't the only one smitten with the redhead. Rin did a good job of hiding it, but I could tell she liked the guy, although she seems to have decided that he was Sakura's. This was surprisingly mature for a teenage girl, and I could tell there was story behind that, but I'm not going to pry.

At the end of the day, Rin and Sakura both headed home. Since it was still daytime, I figured the journey would be safe; if not, I made sure they'll be safe long enough for me reach them- One of the perks of being the Rider class Servant, I'm sure. Rin seemed a bit annoyed and Sakura embarrassed, but they accepted my request to observe their crush for a while longer. I needed to get an idea of the guy.

A couple of hours later and I still don't quite get the guy. After fixing a variety of school appliances manually, despite showing a willingness to use magic to figure out the problem, the guy was talked into sweeping the archery club by some boy called Shinji Matou (strange how he had the same surname as Sakura, which was different to Rin's- I _really_ need to get that story). He wasn't asking for anything in return as far as I could tell, even if he was friends with Shinji- despite the guy practically _oozing_ arrogance and dickishness. He might be worse than even Octavian in attitude- and it was making him be very late home. I couldn't help but feel sorry for the kid, an orphan who seemed to be getting taken advantage of by his so called friends. It kind of pissed me off.

"Well, hello there. Lovely night, isn't it?" The voice was casual, relaxed, and coming from right behind me. Despite the tone, I could pick up a hint of bloodlust, along with the unmistakable aura of a Servant.

"_Rin, I've found a Servant"_ I intoned, calling to my main Master through the Master-Servant bond. It's been years since Grover removed our empathy link. _"Lancer, judging by the looks of him."_

The Servant was clad in blue armour, and was wielding a blood red spear. His hair, as blue as his armour and long as his spear, was bound in a low ponytail and was framed by a pair of silver earrings. He seemed built for speed, but his muscles told me he was no pushover in terms direct combat. Kinda like Jason. I always enjoyed sparring with Jason, so long as we didn't use our demigod powers. Lighting didn't taste very good, and a battle of winds tends to be quite tiring and boring. The look in his red eyes told me he was looking forward to this fight as much as I was.

I took out my pen. Lancer didn't look like the sort to attack an unprepared opponent, but I figured it was better safe than sorry. His Master may have other ideas. "It is quite nice. This school looks fairly nice as well. It would certainly be a shame to damage a place of safety and learning like this, wouldn't it?" I replied- best not let him onto the fact that there was Magus nearby. He might decide to kill him and eliminate the potential nuisance. Or just for the prana.

"Meh, I'm not big on sitting still. I couldn't stand it when I was a boy, and I can't imagine how these children do so now. If I were them, I'd be glad if this place was out of order for a while!" He replied, a bloodthirsty grin on his face. Looks like he wasn't willing to move our battle elsewhere. "I'm also not big on wearing "modern" cloths and blending in- why the hell aren't you in armour? You could just go into astral form if you don't want to draw attention."

I summoned my armour. One of the benefits of being a Servant- no need to put it on, you can just will the armour into existence. Quite convenient, since I figured being seen on the roof of a school would be less of a problem if I looked like some lost tourist rather than someone more at home on the set of yet another remake of 300. I still hold the opinion that Tristan McLean is the best Leonidas, and that has nothing to do with the fact that his daughter got me free tickets for that movie (and about a dozen others- for the premier. In the same row as the lead actor (Tristan McLean) or actress (Piper Grace)).

"That's more like it! But where's your weapon? I'm itching for a fight, and it would be a shame to kill you without having some fun first." His posture was getting less relaxed, his lance shifted from behind his head to at his side, held in both hands. Definitely not the sort to attack an unprepared opponent, although clearly not because of any chivalry or fair play.

"My my, aren't we a needy one? Got any more requests, or do you want me to tie my hair in a ponytail and wear a pair of earrings?" I asked as I uncapped Riptide and hit my watch, my brother's shield spiralling out and locking into place. I could feel Rin tapping into my senses, allowing her to see and hear as I did. She probably only just remembered the spell.

Yeah, that was definitely a spike of what-makes-you-think-that-it-totally-wasn't-that-even-though-it-was-exactly-that. The girl's anger was so cute. She reminded me of my half-sister when she threw a small tantrum. Another spark of indignation, joined by one of amusement, over the link told me only one my masters found the comparison amusing.

Lancer didn't seem to appreciate my humour. He charged at me, and I dodged sideways, before bolting to the edge of the building, and onto the ground below. No point fighting on the roof when it only restricts me. I landed, and put distance between myself and the wall, stopping in the middle of the courtyard. Lancer landed a short ways away, his stance a loose guard.

"Oh? So that wasn't you chickening out. I was afraid I'd have to chase you down."

"Nah, I'm just not big on high places. My first fight on top of a roof involved lots of poison and taking a dive into a river, and the rest weren't much better. I by far prefer the ground."

"Is that so… well, since you have sword I'm guessing you're not Archer or Caster, you wouldn't be fighting me if you were Assassin and Berserker is out of the question. So are you Rider or Sabre?"

"_Rin?"_ I asked my Master. I would personally rather tell the truth, but it was up to her whether I answered truthfully or not.

"Rider. And due to that wonderfully detailed question, along with the toothpick you seem to be carrying, I take it you're Lancer?" I answered, Rin having decided there was no point in pretending to be Sabre. I also learned my Master did not approve of my pre-battle banter.

Clearly, Lancer didn't either. "Oi, what're you calling a toothpick? My lance is as long as you're tall- maybe you need a closer look!" He charged me, lance help parallel to the ground. I stepped to the side and blocked with my shield, redirecting his charge and bringing my sword around. He avoided getting stabbed by pushing against my shield, and so our clash began. As we exchanged blows, I tried to get a feel for the guy's style, maybe figure out where he's from. I ruled out Greek and Roman mythology right away- his armour wasn't the right style. He also didn't look like any Egyptian warrior I've ever seen. He could have been Norse, and I've seen weapons and armour similar to his in my dealings with those gods, but I couldn't be sure. He could have just as easily been Celtic, Goth or any other mythology from around the same area or time period.

Wherever this guy was from, he was _fast_. Faster than Jason, who was pretty dam fast (fast as the wind, one could say). I was having trouble keeping up, and he probably would have landed some blows had it not been for my shield. If I had to fight him one handed…

Another clash and Lancer pulled away. I didn't chase- he was up to something, and I still had no clue who this guy was. I was playing mostly defensive- Rin didn't want to reveal too much early. Lancer, as it turned out, had no such restraint. Red light began to illuminate the courtyard as Lancer charged his weapon with prana. There was no mistaking it- He was going to use his Noble Phantasm. I raised my shield, ready for whatever Lancer may try. I trusted in my defences, confident they will not fall.

Whatever Lancer's Noble Phantasm does, I would have to wait to find out, as at that moment the fence rattled. Lancer powered down his attack and turned towards the sound. "Shit, there's a kid still here? Dammit, we'll settle this later- I have to eliminate the witness." He growled, before leaping towards the source of the noise. I stood there, a bit confused and worried. Why was there still a kid here? The school should be empty at this hour. And now they're going to die- if Rin was here, she could wipe their memories (assuming I can convince Lancer) but between the two of us the kid is doomed. But what was Lancer doing here anyway? It's not like you'd expect Servants and Masters to hang around a school at night. I was only here because…

"_Shirou!"_ My Masters shouted across the link, remembering why I was here just as I was. It had to have been him- It's because of him that I was here, and I'd forgotten all about him during the fight with Lancer. I stay here to observe my Masters' crush, and end up getting him killed. Not quite my usual papa-wolf method of boyfriend control. _"Rider, go save Shirou! Then take him here so we can wipe his memory!"_

Well, let's hope he stays alive long enough for me to distract and convince Lancer. I really don't want an innocent boy's death on my conscience, and it wouldn't do to make the girls cry.

I'd have to turn in my Hero Licence.

**Author's Notes**

…Why am I doing this?

So if you've read the updated description, I will occasionally be posting short chapters on this thing. They might also be out of order, so keep that in mind. Just don't expect consistent or frequent updates to any of my stories, especially since I'm starting University soon. Oxford, in case you're wondering.

This is my first attempt at a first person POV, so I'm not sure how well I did. I really hope I managed to capture some of Percy's snark and sarcasm, as well as keep a clear flow of thought. Percy is a person who forms quick and powerful bonds, especially when he's alone (Son of Neptune really drives that trait home), and in this he's basically lived a full life. Which means he's gotten married, had kids (maybe even grandchildren) and watched many friends and relatives grow or die. He's developed a paternal instinct, which is going to be a big part of his interactions with Rin and Sakura.

Speaking of the sisters, they're both going to be a lot more social in this version. Growing together and with their mother, they had a lot more healthy human interaction with people aware of magic and capable of talking about it with them. It also means that Rin is aware of Shirou being a Magus, because Sakura noticed the bounded fields around his house and is aware of him performing magic in his workshop (pretty sure that one's mentioned somewhere in canon, if not then I'll refer you to From Fake Dreams by the Third Fang where he has created an I-know-you-know-I-know-you-know-I-know dynamic with the two keeping it a secret from each other. It's a good read, assuming you get past the earlier bits where he horrendously overuses ellipses. He gets better.). They also know he's pathetic at mage craft, so Rin doesn't bother with that. Doesn't stop the crushes though.

Also, in the spirit of Heroes of Olympus, have a cliff-hanger. Be grateful I'm not Rick, or it would be a literal one.


	4. Abandonment Issues

Rin was glad Sakura couldn't look through Rider's eyes, as Rider looked upon Shirou's bloodied form. Why did it have to be him? Why wasn't she there? She could have saved him. She had a jewelled necklace with ten years' worth of prana. Oh, this was too horrible…

She wasn't sure what exactly she sent over the link, but Rider seemed to have picked up on some of her thoughts. _"You can save him?"_

"_Yes."_ She sent back, clutching the red jewel to her chest. _"But by the time I get there, it'll be too late. And you can't perform the spell, can you?"_

"_While I cannot heal others"_ images flashed in Rin's mind, too quickly for her to fully comprehend them, _"I can get you here. Do you have everything you need on you?"_ She could _feel_ Rider straighten, become more resolute.

"_Yes."_

"_Then don't panic."_ As the shadows around her thickened, Rin was reminded of that time Berserker had saved her from that creature, and how he had gotten her to uncle Kariya's apartment. A shape- not even fully formed- lunged out the shadows, grabbing Rin by the collar and dragging her into the shadow on the wall. Rin was greeted by an eerily familiar feeling of rapid travel, complete darkness and strange noises.

Then it was over, and she stood at Rider's side, the shadows receding back to their proper places. "Quickly." Rider urged, snapping Rin back to the moment at hand. She rushed to Shirou's side, and began unleashing the prana stored in her gem.

"_Please, don't die. You can't die. She needs you!"_

**Sisters Once More**

After healing Shirou, they began walking back home. Rider had been the one to suggest it, and Rin had agreed, as it gave them more time to decide on what to tell Sakura.

"I don't suppose we should just tell her the truth?" Rider sighed at his Master. "She knows something happened, and that it involved Shirou."

"You want to tell her that the boy she loves got killed by a Servant and that I had to practically resurrect him? To be perfectly honest, I wasn't even sure it would work. I am _not_ telling Sakura that."

"Then perhaps you should tell her whatever you made Shirou think happened. That way, there wouldn't be any conflicting information."

"…"

"…You forgot to alter his memories."

"No! It's just… He's a Magus. There's no point in messing with his mind- he might notice it! This way he knows something dangerous is going on and be careful."

Rider wasn't convinced. From what he'd seen of the boy, he was not the type to stand idle while people were being stabbed to death at random, even if he himself had gotten hurt. He was just about to bring it up when a thought struck him.

"Hey, what do you think Lancer would do if he figured out the boy was still alive?" Rin froze in place, standing completely still for a few seconds, before letting loose some very un-ladylike language and turning to run to the Emiya household. Rider sighed, before turning to spirit form. _"Kids these days…"_

**Sisters Once More**

Illyasviel Von Einzbern was quite irritated at the Tohsaka Master. Who did she think she was, talking to _her_ brother? The Holy Grail War was supposed to be a free-for-all battle royale, so she had no excuse to be walking alongside Shirou in the middle of the night without even trying to kill him. Not that it would have made Illya any less annoyed, seeing how _she _was going to be the one to kill her precious brother, but at least then Tohsaka would have been playing by the rules.

Tohsaka's Servant was standing protectively in front of her, his sword and shield looking pathetically small when compared to her own massive Servant. Her brother's golden Servant stood guarding him as well, her empty hands held as though clutching a sword. Was it invisible?

Since they had just finished introductions, Illya figured that was enough pleasantries. "Kill them, Berserker." With a roar, her giant Servant charged forward, sword swinging. Her brother's golden haired Servant charged forward as well, intent on meeting Berserker head on. Illya was impressed at how well the Servant was holding up- clearly, Kiritsugu had taught the boy well.

Tohsaka's male Servant approached Berserker at a slightly more sedate pace, until he spotted an opening. Then he charged, thrusting his blade into Berserker's side…

…Only for Berserker to deflect it at the last moment, forcing the smaller Servant to jump back and take a glancing blow to his shield rather than get bisected. "That won't work. Berserker is the strongest- you're all going to die." Illya stated. It was an irrefutable fact. Her family had spent a lot of time, money and effort in ensuring that she got the best Servant possible. There was no way that Tohsaka would be able to scrounge up a Servant powerful enough to defeat him.

The Servants traded several more blows. Sabre was incredibly agile, running up telephone poles to avoid Berserker's attacks and trying to strike him from behind. At one point, she stepped on Berserker's weapon and managed to force him to let go. Of course, it didn't do her much good, but it certainly was impressive. Rider was no slouch either, hopping around Berserker himself, occasionally taking strikes to his shield. Eventually, however, Berserker got a good hit on his shield, sending him flying into a wall.

"Yes! You got him, Berserker!" Illya cheered as Rin called out to her Servant. She had only been half listening to her and Shirou's running commentary, but it sounded fairly amusing. They had still believed they stood a chance. Hopefully, this crippling blow to Rider should show them their folly.

The battle between Sabre and Berserker continued, almost too fast for her eyes to follow. Sabre danced around Berserker's wild swings, directing him away from Shirou and Tohsaka even as Berserker pushed her back. She had seemed awfully unconcerned about how easily her ally had been dispatched, especially given that she was sure to be next. Although Illya had to give the Servant credit- she was certainly skilled, to have survived this long against her Berserker. She briefly wondered if her brother had summoned the same Servant as their- Kiritsugu, only to dismiss it as irrelevant. Her Berserker was the strongest.

Her maddened Servant made a sudden move, pushing Sabre far enough away that he could leap back unimpeded. Illya didn't quite catch what happened during the exchange, but she couldn't miss the lightly glowing blur that landed where Berserker had been moments ago, the dust kicked up settling to show Rider pulling his blade out of the ground. "You broke my shield." The Servant complained, shaking his shoulders and glancing at his left arm, which, indeed, now lacked a shield. "My brother made it for me, you know? Not the first time I broke it, but come on!"

"H-how?" She asked, her voice quivering with shock. "How are you unharmed after getting hit by Berserker?" Indeed, she could accept a Servant surviving such a blow, but Rider wasn't even bleeding, despite the damage done to his armour. Perhaps he had a healing ability?

Rider smiled at her- it wasn't a patronising smile, or even a smug one. It looked more like the ones her fath- Kiritsugu had given her, but sadder. As if he could see her pain, and felt sorry for her. Illya clenched her fist; she didn't need a _Servant's_ pity.

Then the smile shifted, and Illya relaxed at the mirthful, joking smile- she could handle those. "As you can see, little princess, your Berserker isn't the only amazing Servant around. We're all Heroic Spirits- we didn't make it to the Throne for nothing. So what makes you so confident?"

Illya smiled back at the Servant, a smile filled with condescendence. She'd humour him. "Because Berserker is the strongest. He's Heracles, the legendary hero of Greece. His labours have granted him twelve lives, and his feats shadow those of all other heroes. So tell me, Rider, why shouldn't I be confident?"

Rider's reaction confused her. She had expected to see fear, or worry, or horror. She would have expected his confidence to waver, that smile to drop. She would even have accepted him looking at Berserker with respect, an acknowledgement that her Servant was superior. She did not expect Rider to look _angry_, for his eyes to blaze with righteous fury and (strangely enough) sadness, as if he was thinking of someone who died long ago. "Heracles, huh? You know, in life, I had been denied the chance to fight you. Now," He raised his blade, pointing it at Berserker. "I hope that Mad Enhancement doesn't prevent you from recognising this blade- although I wonder if you would have anyway. But this blade, Jerkules, used to be _yours_. _She_ made this for you, right before you went ahead and _abandoned_ her, made sure she was _written out of Greek Mythology_. She had given up _everything_ for you, because she loved you, and you cast her aside once she was no longer useful. I will use this blade to slay you – twelve times did you say? - and make you regret your actions towards the fifth of the Hesperides." Rider then smiled, his fury still displayed across his visage, which frankly frightened Illya as much as his words unsettled her. One of the Hesperides had made Heracles a sword, and he had cast her aside (along with the blade, it seems) once he no longer needed her?

"_I love your mother. She's a wonderful woman, and she gave me that which I hold most precious."_

"_What is it, daddy?"_

"_You, Illya. She gave me my beautiful daughter."_

Illya wiped the tears threatening to fall out of the corners of her eyes. Berserker, sensing her distress, roared once more and charged at Rider, heedless of the thickening shadows…

"I heard you like dogs, Heracles. Tell me what you think of mine."

… Which solidified into a giant hound.

**Sisters Once More**

While Rider seemed smaller than she remembered, his hound seemed even larger now than it did when Rin was a little girl.

Once the previous war had ended, Rin had looked up all mythologies that she could about giant dogs composed of pure darkness. The stories of hellhounds spread across many mythologies, and all had several traits in common- black furred hunting hounds with sharp teeth and red eyes. They also had a variety of ghostly abilities and were always associated with death and the afterlife. Sometimes they had deadly gazes, sometimes fire powers, sometimes three heads. But they were all death omens, and almost always evil.

Rider's hound was definitely _not_ evil. Rin still remembered how it had babysat her and another girl during the last war. She was so gentle and kind, and Rin figured she was good with children because she had plenty of practise- Rider clearly never had to pay for a babysitter. But it was kind of hard to associate that gentle mound of fur with the savage beast currently tearing into Berserker. She had leapt out of the shadows to intercept Berserker's charge, her teeth creating deep gouges in his sword arm. When the maddened Servant began to wrestle with her, Rider joined in, his sword swinging at the giant's head, who somehow managed to shift so that it dug into his shoulder instead.

It quickly devolved into a wrestling contest, as Berserker's and Rider's blades lay forgotten on the ground as the two Servants wrestled with each other and a dog that looked like it could play fetch with an African bull elephant. Shirou's Sabre stood looking at the mass of limbs and fur, an expression of disbelief and mild disgust on her stunning features. Clearly, she was a lady and a knight, a firm believer of honourable conduct on the battlefield. Rin could somewhat sympathise- wrestling on the ground did not seem like how a Servant should fight.

Looking away from where Mrs. O'Leary was gnawing on Berserker's forearm and Rider was apparently trying to choke the life out of Heracles, she turned her gaze on their human opponent, although calling her that may be pointless flattery. The Einzbern homunculus seemed to be captivated by the battle, and Rin couldn't help but notice that Rider's words had shook her earlier- the construct clearly wasn't happy to learn of her Servant's treachery. She briefly wondered if Rider had been telling the truth or just trying to shake up their foe (in which case, he was doing a damn good job) before dismissing the thought- it didn't matter in the long term, and she could ask him later.

She pointed her finger at the fae-like girl, a black orb gathering at the tip. While a major part of the war was a battle between Servants, the Masters would also battle one another. It was in this way that her father met his end in the previous war- killed in their home by an enemy Master. Rin, as an opportunist, would take this chance to kill their foe while she was distracted.

As she unleashed the Gandr curse that had gathered at her fingertip, Berserker let out a loud roar. In a burst of energy, the Servant of Madness flung both Rider and his hound away, before rushing to block the blow heading for his Master. Rin watched in shock as her curse burst against the Servant's body- she had not expected him to notice her attack, at least not in time to react with Rider impeding him. Both her and Shirou's Servants leaped to stand between their Master and Berserker, although the giant seemed content to just stand before his Master.

"So you _can_ fight like a magus, Tohsaka. Good to know. But I've had enough for tonight- I think I'll head home. You may live for now." Einzbern announced as her Servant picked her up, placing her on his shoulder. Rider and Sabre both relaxed their stances, content with letting their foes go. Rider's hound skulked back towards them, causing Sabre to take a more ready stance and shift her body towards her as Berserker began walking away.

"Well, that certainly was an evening full of excitement. I think I'll be going back home now before another Servant decides to pick a fight." Rin declared, walking past the tense Sabre to stand besides Mrs. O'Leary, giving Rider a pointed look. The Servant seemed to get the message, lifting Rin up as though she weighed nothing and placing her on the hound's back, before hopping on himself.

Shirou blinked, seemingly coming out of his stupor, stepping forward and reaching an arm out towards her, as though to grab her arm, despite her sitting astride a pile of shadows shaped like a dog that would dwarf any mundane tank. "W-wait a moment, Rin!"

She didn't wait to hear what he wanted. "When we next meet, Shirou, it will be as enemies. You need to take this war seriously, or else you will find yourself at my mercy after Rider slays your Servant. I suppose I'll see you tomorrow, but you better be prepared." At that cue, Mrs. O'Leary ran straight into the nearest tree, passing through the shadows.

**Sisters Once More**

I'm alive. I've actually been working on this snippet on and off for the past year, but I was always too lazy to just finish it. The line about Heracles liking dogs was stolen off of the Third Fang's "From Fake Dreams", which I strongly recommend. Since I'm lacking in plot, I will probably be bouncing around when I do update- if I update.


End file.
